Massage Therapy School Los Angeles Instructors

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"Be the change you want to see in the world." Gandhi

Eloise Albrecht, CMT #11435

Eloise has been rubbing people the right way since 1975. She went to school for massage in Gainesville, Florida in 1994, and has been working steadily as a massage therapist ever since. She has trained in many different modalities - NMT, Shiatsu, Reflexology, Trager, Deep Tissue, Reiki, etc. - but most enjoys her own style: 'sneaky deep tissue'. "Deep tissue massage does not have to be painful - in fact, when you actually get to the level of sensation that is pain, you are doing more injury than good," says Eloise. "What I laughingly refer to as 'sneaky deep tissue' refers to the idea that the muscles let go at their own pace, and when the therapist follows the muscles 'lead', instead of forcing them, deep work can happen that will hold longer and bring about true transformation." Eloise was involved in the formation of our school 10 years ago, and was one of the first teachers here. She went back to the East Coast and became a New York State acupuncturist, but we are thrilled to have her back teaching her “sneaky deep tissue” once again!

Laura Apoliona, LMT

Laura received her original massage therapist education at the Hands on Healing Institute and her Lomi Lomi training in Kona, Hawaii. Laura has found her specialty in the structural therapy of Myofascial Release and has been trained by Frances Nicolais through the Focus on Fascia classes at Hands on Healing. Laura’s Hawaiian ancestry is the basis for her infusion of Myofascial Release with Hawaiian Lomi Lomi, combining effective structural integration while utilizing the profound benefits of simple relaxation. Pregnancy and postpartum massage are also a special pleasure for Laura. She also offers post-natal realignment and breast-care and teaches new families infant massage to bloom parent-baby bonding and provide babies relief from colic and teething pain. Laura also is an Equine MFR therapist, using her gifted touch to help heal horses, as well as riders.

Dan Cohen, CA CMT #340

Dan has had a long-term interest in bodywork for health. His first massage class was in Hawaii over thirty years ago. In 1999 he finally got certification from Touch Therapy Institute. Since then he has been working professionally and continuing his studies. This study has taken him to places as diverse as Sedona, AZ, Japan & China. He is presently studying Myofascial Release here at Hands on Healing Institute and is the Owner/Therapist of Holistic Health Care, a Multi-modality Clinic. Dan developed the “Touch of Jade Lymphatic Massage tm " using traditional Chinese rollers combined with Western lymphatic drainage techniques. He enjoys the healing arts, finding great reward in helping others to improve their quality of life through bodywork.

For Touch of Jade Lymphatic Massage Facebook page click here

Tom Hambright, CMT #26374

Tom was drawn to Hands on Healing for his initial Certified Massage Therapist education, after years in the corporate/computer world. He followed a calling reinforced by many friends throughout the years who commenting on his gifted touch. After graduating in March 2005, he then pursued Myofascial Release & Myofascial Trigger Points as his preferred modalities. Tom has taken many John F. Barnes MFR seminars since then, and has been working at a physical therapy office providing MFR since July 2005. Tom teaches the Trigger Point classes at Hands on Healing.

Santokh Sing Khalsa, D.C.

Dr. Khalsa started his chiropractic practice in Pasadena in 1979. His chiropractic practice has a holistic orientation that goes beyond just working with the spine and musculoskeletal conditions. He uses several different techniques, some of which e has developed himself, to communicate with the body’s inner wisdom and find out the cause of imbalance and dysfunction. Using muscle testing, he is able to address muscle weaknesses, emotional stress, chakra imbalances, and nutritional and dietary issues. He is also a master teacher of Kundalini Yoga and founded the Awareness Center Yoga Studio in the 1970’s. He is currently the master teacher for their teacher trainer program. He also teaches an introduction to Kundalini Yoga for beginners series several times a year.

Sharon Munatones, CMT 7505

Sharon graduated from the Hands on Healing Institute's CMT Program in 2006 and continued to study while building her private practice and completing the HHI Teacher’s Training Program. Sharon loves the mind, body, spirit concept, nature and massage. With 18 years of counseling experience working in the mental health field as a behavioral counselor, with children’s programs for the YMCA and for Nino’s Earth Centro, an environmental awareness program, she has a realistic understanding of the issues that affect our mind/body/spirit connection in today’s world. Along with teaching classes and providing massage sessions, Sharon is also currently running The Health and Wellness Program for Community Care Center, an IMD hospital in Duarte, California. “With appreciation and gratitude I continue to develop my skills as a massage therapist while sharing with students and clients what my learning experiences have taught me,” says Sharon. Sharon holds certifications for various modalities such as: Aromatherapy, Gemstone Therapy, Crystal Therapy, Energy Healing, Reflexology, Vibration/Sound Therapy, Heated Stone Massage, Chair Massage, Thai Massage, and many more.

Frances Nicolais, CMT #14157

Frances is one of our original instructors. Frances is the owner of the KELA-Kneaded Experience LA, a professional chair massage company in operation since 1995, staffed by many of our talented alumni. She also is the owner of the Myofascial Release Center in Montrose, where she and several other MFR therapists share their love and respect for myofascial release with any willing participant! Frances developed the 230-hour Focus on Fascia (myofascial release/trigger point) series at Hands on Healing and teaches them with as much passion and enthusiasm as any one person can! The Focus on Fascia series is also assisted by Tom Hambright and Laura Apoliona. Frances also developed the only 100-hour chair massage series in Los Angeles, and co-teaches this track with Mary Frances Spencer and Tom Hambright.

Stefanie Sabounchian, AAR & ARCB Certified Reflexologist, CMP #5054

Stefanie studied and practiced Reflexology for many years in her home country of Germany before she came to the United States in 2000. She earned her Professional Reflexology Certificate in Integrated Foot Hand Ear Reflexology from the American Academy of Reflexology in 2002 and is National Certified with the American Reflexology Certification Board. Stefanie is on the Board of Directors of the Reflexology Association of California and she has a thriving full time private Reflexology practice in Southern California. Stefanie teaches Foot Hand Ear Reflexology at several schools including the American Academy of Reflexology where her professionalism, passion for helping others and her genuine sincerity has endeared her to all of her students.

Zoya Sakarian, CMT #11017

Upon graduating Glendale Career College, my first placement position was in a clinic named Point of Life. In a very short amount of time, I realized that my formal education was not sufficient preparation as a massage therapist. Having clients with real pain, who were asking for help that I could not provide, was a real wake up call for me. It was at that very moment, I realized that I wanted to extensively study the craft of Massage Therapy. Two years later, I am glad to say my hard work and studying has finally paid off. One of my clients at Massage Envy was willing to delay spinal surgery in hopes that massage therapy would provide relief. She told me, 'I have tried everything. If this massage therapy doesn't work I have to face the knife.' After 13 sessions of Trigger Point and Push Therapy, Diana was able to sit, walk, swim and work without pain in her back. I had witnessed the power of massage therapy first hand, and realized that my hard work and extensive training paid off. Today my goal is to share my experience and knowledge with younger therapists, and at the same time learn from them as well. I truly believe that we are all lifelong learners, and that even today, I consider myself a student.

Andrea Schally, Aromatherapist, CMT #4325

Andrea is Associate Director of HHI and a certified Aromatherapist, practicing in the United States since 1994, and originally from Austria. Andrea concentrates on healing with essential oils by revealing and unblocking physical, emotional, spiritual and mental imbalances in order to achieve homeostasis and restore the body's health. She had been studying essential oils for over 20 years and her knowledge of essential oils and their uses is extensive. Andrea runs our Certified Massage Therapist programs and is the lead Swedish massage instructor. She is also the head of the Aromatherapy Program and teaches Crystal & Gemstone Therapy, as well as many other Swedish based classes.

Mary Frances Spencer, CMT #9770

Mary Frances began practicing Yoga in the early 1990's when she was experiencing high stress working as a designer in the textile industry. She continued with her Yoga during the pregnancies and after the birth of 2 children, and was certified to teach Hatha Yoga in 2001 by Naader Shagagi at Yoga Kingdom in Pasadena. Since then she has taught Mommy’s Me, All-levels Adult, and Children's Yoga classes at various yoga studios and schools in the LA/Pasadena area. In December 2004 she graduated from Hands on Healing Institute as a Certified Massage Therapist. She holds certifications in Thai Yoga massage, Kinesiology, Myofascial Release, Deep Tissue, and Chair Massage. She is also teaches Breath Awareness, Restorative Yoga, Expressive Movement and Chair massage at Hands on Healing. She seeks to encourage her students to work at their own level to build strength, increase flexibility, release blockages, and find peace and transformation.

Nora Stewart, LMT

Nora was moved to go into massage during a midlife time of transition. “It was a calling!” she says and she has never looked back. Once graduating from Hands on Healing, she was strongly pulled towards Chair Massage and Myofascial Release, and has since become the General Manager of the Kneaded Experience LA, experts in the Los Angeles chair massage industry. Nora is now sharing her extensive experience in the chair massage field, as one the instructors in our MT250 Program.

Betsy Trapasso, TBI, TBP, MSW, CMT # 10535

While traveling through Thailand, Betsy experienced Thai massage for the first time and it was then that she decided to study this amazing spiritual and energetic massage. Betsy was working as a hospice social worker in Los Angeles at the time and she knew that her clients, their families, and their caregivers would love to receive Thai massage. Since 2003 Betsy has studied with master Thai massage teacher in Thailand, US, and Canada. From 2004-2009 Betsy served as the Assistant Instructor to Chuck Duff at the internationally respected Thai Bodywork School of Thai Massage in Evanston, IL. She was an essential part of the development of the Thai Bodywork school into a world-class center. Through Thai Bodywork, Betsy is a Certified Thai Bodywork Instructor and Certified Thai Bodywork Practitioner. In 2010 Betsy returned to LA where she currently teaches and practices Thai massage through her company. Betsy loves to share her enthusiasm and passion for Thai massage as she helps others discover the heart and joy of this wonderful art. Betsy is also an end of life guide, educator, advocate and speaker. As an end of life guide, Betsy loves to incorporate Thai massage and other healing modalities into hospice and end-of-life care.

Heather White

Heather was the Associate Director of HHI for many years, and delighted our students in teaching Swedish massage, energy healing, hot stone and meditation. She grew up in a family that was very active in holistic therapies including energy medicine, which she has gone on to study and practice throughout her life. She began her meditation practice at age eight and traveled to Western Europe at age twelve teaching meditation for children. Heather has a degree in Philosophy from UCLA and has been studying and practicing the ways of the Tibetan Bön Buddhism tradition for the last fourteen years. Heather and Andrea both developed the famous HHI style Swedish massage, for which we are eternally grateful. Heather has moved out of the area, but returns often to teach the energy program.

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Hands on Healing Institute is a private institute licensed to operate by the Bureau of Private Postsecondary Education for MT250, MT500 Massage Therapy Programs, and all continuing education courses.

Provider Approved by California Board of Registered Nursing.

MT250 Program is Approved for Veterans Education.